1. Dave Warner. Back in the runs (56) in the IPL for the Dehli Capitals. He is the skipper of the Delhi Capitals in the absence of Rishabh Pant. Hitting them a bit too slowly, but he is a super star in the IPL. One of the great records (acknowledging the newsbytesapp.com website) - and pay packets to match:
- Warner is the highest run-getter in the IPL among overseas players - ever.
- Warner is just 63 runs away from touching the illustrious 6,000-run mark in IPL.
- Warner requires 76 runs to complete 2,000 runs for the Delhi-based franchise.
- Warner, who owns four IPL tons, has a chance to become the lone owner of the second position.
- Notably, with 11,179 runs, Warner is the sixth-highest run-getter in T20 history.
- With 5,881 runs in 162 games, Warner is currently the third-highest run-getter in IPL (SR: 140.69).
- Among batters with at least 1,000 IPL runs, his average of 42.11 is only second to KL Rahul (48.01).
- His tally of 59 fifty-plus scores is the highest for any player in IPL. He owns 55 fifties and four centuries. No one else has 50 such scores.
- Warner has a chance of becoming the first player to lift the IPL trophy with two teams as a captain.
- Warner is the only player to claim the Orange Cap (most runs) three times (2015, 2017, 2019).
- His tally of 848 runs in the 2016 season is the third-highest for any batter in a particular season.
- He has hit the 500-run mark most times in a season (6 times).
2. Murray Goodwin. You may recall this old warhorse Zimbabwean and Western Australian state cricketer. Just copped a 16 week ban after knicking off to the keeper. A sledging opponent was given a clip over the head with his bat on the way back to the pavilion in a club game!
3. Parramatta. Didn't quite get there to 0-5 (1-4 instead), but a loss is a loss. Hard to cop this "we are competitive" talk. Losses by 4-4-4-(win by 1)- 8 are great in the coaches room, but not good on the premiership table.
They actually do lack a super star back with size and pace (not on in the whole Parramatta area?) and the loss of Mahoney is telling. Hodgson is a warrior, but he is not going to win you a comp with a lack of creativity and enterprise. Dylan Brown is really struggling this year and needs to lift. He does not seem to have the confidence and the speed this year. The defence out wide - Blake and Sivo especially is atrocious. Really poor reads which unfortunately is a coaching problem.
Trent Barrett continues his outstanding awful coaching record, this time as an Assistant Coach. Only Greg Chappell has a worse record in senior coaching.
The Brad Arthur 50% record is alive and kicking - one week good... one week bad. It is just that the bad ones are stacking up under a new contract extension.
4. Wests Tigers. Some excellent forwards, and not as bad as it looked v Broncos, despite an horrific scoreline. They could trouble the Eels. They also need more 'Wests' in their strip to be competitive. Ban the orange for a week or two.
Brisbane have played five straight home games on a dry home deck. Once they start travelling this will test them out. The Broncos are in the semis already with that start. An NRL gift...and Parramatta get every opponent off a bye for four weeks straight! Incredible how they can stuff this up.
The Warriors were impressive again. Sitting second on the table is incredible. Young Coach Webster has started his career well. Having been coached by the great Pete and Chris McCallum combination as a junior, they taught him everything he knows. Like this Blacktown Pats lad, Curran. Tough and fearless. Sign him up.
It would be remiss not to add the great work of St George-Illawarra as well. Crushed the Dolphins and looked sharp. Bravo!
The NRL is close this year. Two golden points (Manly-Newcastle and Bulldogs v Cowboys) and a penalty kick on the siren (Warriors v Sharks). The Sharks were unlucky, but entertaining stuff!
5. AFL. Collingwood are looking awesome. Their superior fitness and skill level is incredible. They will be hard to beat in the semi finals - especially on a big ground like the MCG. Cracking game on Saturday night in the 'showdown' with Port Adelaide and Adelaide too. Port started the season with a bang but are falling apart. Really enjoying the massive crowds and their passion for their teams. Huge followings and so tribal. Essendon...St Kilda...Richmond. A lot of tradition and joy, even in the loss.
The Swans suffered GF nightmares again on the MCG with a huge deficit at the end of the first quarter. They got it back to be tight early in the third quarter and were then blown away. Clayton Oliver is just superb. Melbourne looked like they had more licence without Gawn in the team. Full of running. The Melbourne umpires enjoy a penalty to the locals too.
Geelong are doing a Parramatta. No points thus far and a crushing loss to the Gold Coast this weekend.
6. EPL. Arsenal still 8 points ahead of Man City and powering on. Hard to feel confident however with the perennial loser tag dangling nearby. They really struggle at times to land the decisive killer blow, but are getting closer in season 2022-2023. There are 38 games for each team (19 home/ 19 away) and they have played 28 of them with 10 remaining. (Same for the Scottish Premier League).
A championship is within sight for Arsenal. At the other end of the table, Leicester are suddenly in strife (with West Ham and Everton). It is much tighter at the bottom this season, so there could be some surprises.
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